This invention relates generally to expandable rooms, and more particularly to room structures that are moveable between retracted and expanded positions. The invention particularly relates to vehicles such as recreational vehicles that are provided with one or more expandable room or room portions that are capable of moving from a retracted position to an expanded position to provide additional internal space. Typically, one portion of the room is nested within a portion of an existing room of the vehicle that remains fixed.
As is well known to those skilled in the art, when a recreational vehicle equipped with an expandable room is in motion, the room typically remains in a retracted position. This is necessary in order for the vehicle to move over the road and remain within vehicle width limitations. However, when the vehicle is stopped for a period of time, it is often desirable to increase the size of the internal accommodations, and in order to do so the user will cause the moveable portion of the room to move outwardly to an expanded position. Similarly, when it is time to move the vehicle over the road again, the user will cause the movable portion of the room to move inwardly to its retracted position.
In its expanded position, leaves, branches, rain water, and other debris may gather on the roof of the expandable room. The debris can cause damage to the recreational vehicle as the room is retracted because it can get crushed or trapped in between the recreational vehicle body and the expandable room. To prevent this from happening, awnings or cloth covers have been used over the top of the expandable rooms to prevent the water and debris from accumulating on the roof of the room. Awnings of this type are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,568. There are multiple problems with these types of awnings. First, they don't always prevent the accumulation of debris because debris can still accumulate on the roof if the wind blows the debris under the sides of the awning. Further, awnings are limited in length because the longer their length, the greater the bending force on the roller support tube. In some instances the bending force may be so great that the roller tube cannot support the weight of the awning which can be dangerous, especially in high winds.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a vehicle protection assembly that prevents water and other debris on the roof of an expandable room from being trapped or crushed between the expandable room and the vehicle when the expandable room is retracted into its nested position.